To Find You
by LLN
Summary: When everyone Stiles loves dies. Stiles in an act of desperation follows the advice of Peter Hale. But something goes wrong and Stiles finds himself in a reality where the Hale Fire never happened and Kate Argent had been dead for years. To Top it all off, he finds that he arrived during some sort of mating festival for all of the supernatural creatures of Beacon Hills!
1. Chapter 1

Title: To Find You

Series: Reality Bites

Pairing: Stiles/Derek, Talia Hale/Sheriff Stilinski, Peter Hale/Gloriana Redddinton-Hale(ofc), implied Scott McCall/Jackson Whittmore, more as they come.

Fandom:Teen Wolf

Summary: When everyone Stiles loves as died. Stiles in an act of desperation acts on the add advice of Peter Hale. But something goes wrong and Stiles finds himself in a reality were the Hale fire never happened but that Kate Argent had been dead for years! And to top everything off Stiles arrived during some sort of mating festival!

Warnings: Past death of the Pack. Alive Hale Family, Time travel, Alternate Reality travel.

Spoilers: Up to and including Season Five.

Disclaimer: MTV & Jeff Davis owns it not me.

888

 **Though these two were probably were attracted to each other. That wasn't exactly what was going on between them. It was rather they understood each other as any creatures of the same species will especially if it is a dangerous species.**

 **Drawing Blood, Poppy Z. Brite.**


	2. Chapter 2

**The Beacon Hills Herald**

 **June 17, 2010**

 _Rotkappchen's Festival_

 _It is the week long festival celebrating and based on the myth of how Rotkappchen, the first magic using human to become the willing mate of the werewolf, Halebourne. The Festival was started in 1942 by Alpha Selena Hale when the Hale Pack was in serious decline. The Festival is held very summer and is one of the largest in the Untied States. Though Alpha Anthony Rogers Beltane, in New York is a closet second.( It is in fact where Beacon Hills own Alpha Talia Hale met her mate Zane Stilinski four years ago.)_

 _And coming up third in Texas is Alpha Kouri Arashi's Searching Ceremony._

 _The Chosen or Reds as they are more commonly known as, are mostly normal humans with the undertones of Were/Shifters in their scents. But they can also be humans with magic like Witches, Druids, or Sparks. Or even other Supernaturals. Kitsune, Banshee or Dragons that a Were or Shifter finds compatible._

 _The Reds are also encouraged to wear the color red, as an article of clothing. It is so that all Were/Shifters will know the Reds on sight. Hair ornaments are popular trend this year for the female chosen as are bandanas for the males._

 _All participants_ _ **must**_ _be seventeen years old or older to participate in any of the festivals four main elements._

 _There are four main elements to the Festival are as stated:_

 _ **The Meeting:**_ _It's a meet and greet gathering on the first day of the Festival. It's held at the Search Light Youth Center. It is where the Reds and Were/shifters can met in a relaxed social setting and get to know each other._

 _ **The Courtship:**_ _This is when the Weres/Shifters would court their chosen Red with dates and gifts. This usually starts the third day, up until the sixth day of the festival. This is based on rumor that Halebourne offered gifts to Rotkappchen during his courtship of her._

 _ **The Chase:**_ _Is held on the last day in the Preserve, the Reds run and hide from the Weres/Shifters. The Weres/Shifters chase or hunt down the Reds they were courting. The more difficult the hunt or chase is? The more kudos go to the Were/Shifter who has courted the Red in question._

 _There is much debate on whether or not Halebourne actually chased Rotkappchen through the woods and mated with her there or not. If you are interested in this debate a panel will be held at three pm on the third day of the Festival in auditorium of Beacon Hills High._

 _Although it has been known that a Were/Shifter have ended up mated to a completely different Red than the one the(Were/Shifter) was originally courting._

 _ **The Marriage Ceremony:**_ _Is the legal ratification of the Were/Shifters bonding or mating with their Red by, Justice of the Peace Maria Harris with Alpha Talia Hale and Sheriff Zane Stilinski as witnesses._

 _And remember those Were/Shifters and Reds who do not find mates this year? That there is always the Winter Solstice hosted by Lady Morgana Lafayette and her brother Alpha Arthur Pendragton in England._

Stiles tossed the newspaper aside onto the bench next to him.

Stiles scratched the back of his head, he wondered if that meant the Hale Fire never happened here or... Obliviously Stiles father wasn't married to Stiles mother. He wondered what that meant. While that article had been informative and explained why Beacon Hills was decked out in red. Every business on Main Street had a red sign, or banner or some sort of window display that had some sort of red in it.

The town bakery had Red Velvet Cake, Cherry Cheesecake and Strawberry Shortcake in the window all at the same time! (That never happened before that Stiles knew of,)

The Comic/Book Store(which was called exactly that) had Flash, the Scarlet Witch, Elektra, Daredevil, Deadpool and Spiderman comics on display.

The Expresso Pump, the local coffee shop had red table cloths on all the tables. And the Blue Moon Diner was giving away free cherry pie with every meal!

It made it glaringly obvious that while Stiles was in Beacon Hills? It was a very different one from the home town he grew-up in.

After using the ritual that Peter had told Stiles about when he had gone to see him, after Lydia was found hanging in her cell in Echien House. She had been put in there shortly after Jordan Parrish's death at the hands of the Dread Doctors when the deputy refused to kill Lydia. Her mother hadn't been able to deal with her daughter's rantings about people no one could see or things no one else could hear.

It had reminded Natalie Martin too much of her mother-in-laws ravings.

Suicide.

At least that's what the police ruled it as, but Lydia had been found hanging from a rafter in the middle of her room. The rope around her neck had wolfsbane entwined through it.

Stiles hadn't believed that Lydia killed herself for a moment.

Stiles used Peter's ritual to escape Kate Argent.

 _The world would have been a better place if Chris had just manned up,_ Stiles thought irritatedly, _and killed the crazy bitch._ Instead of letting her run off and hope that the Calaveras would take care of her for him. The Mexican Hunters obviously failed.

 _Epically Failed._

Because the psycho were-jaguar had come back to Beacon Hills and slaughtered _his_ _pack_.

When Stiles had woke up on the Nemton an hour ago with just the clothes he had been wearing and the small brown leather back pack filled with the things he thought he might need if he had gone back to the past. Peter had warned him that the ritual could go wrong, and kill him. Getting sent to another reality? Wasn't even in the realm of possibility, or so Stiles thought. The ritual was suppose to take him years back a few years into the past, just before Scott got bit, that was all Stiles had wanted. (And he was in the past just in the wrong reality!)

Stiles stood up shouldering his backpack. The first thing he needed to do was find a computer. Google is his bitch and would tell him everything he needed to know about this reality. Though just from that article he read? It looked like the supernatural was a known thing here. That could be a really _good_ or really _bad_.

Quickly he weaved through the crowd. It seemed to thin out the closer he got to the library. It seemed everyone treated the festival as a reason to party, because everyone was in a good mood. So when someone grabbed him by the arm, it took all Stiles had not to react they way he had been trained and not hit the person touching him. The last thing Stiles needed was a stay in the county lockup.

"Where do you think you're going, young man?" A sweet female voice said.

Stiles looked over his shoulder at the woman who spoke. The sight of her made him whimper for she was one of the most beautiful women he had ever seen. And he had known Allison, Lydia, Cora, Kira, Melissa... Stiles had seen a lot of beautiful women, okay!

The woman's green eyes were bright and mischievous, her complexion was a pale porcelain. She had high cheek bones, a slightly up turned nose with an almost pointed chin. She had a single beauty mark in the middle of her left cheek. **Her** **hair** , oh, gods, her hair was a shade of strawberry blonde perfection he had thought only Lydia Martin could pull off. She looked to be in her late twenties. She was...she was... _She_ _resembled_ _Stiles_ _mother_. Except for the fact that Claudia Stilinski had, had dark mahogany colored hair and Stiles's amber eyes. The woman also had her arms crossed and the start of a glare coming to her face.

"The... _library_?" Stiles asked unsure what she wanted from him.

The woman shook her head, " **The** **Meeting** is staring soon. You need to get to the Youth Center, which is back that way," she said pointing over her shoulder with her thumb.

"Why would I want to go there?" Stiles asked now completely confusedly.

She raised an eyebrow, and wow, just wow, she had great eyebrow game. Her gaze fell to his chest which Stiles thought was odd. Then he remembered the color of the hoodie he had on. "I'm wearing...red." Stiles said slowly, "I should...go to the...Center, huh." It was more of a question and a statement.

The woman just twitched an eyebrow, and okay, she had to know a Hale. Only they had such good eyebrow game, no, really, she had too.

So there were worse things than being mistaken for a Red. It was one that would be cleared up when he got to the Center. After all they had to keep a registration or a list or something, right? Stiles just hoped that this Youth Center was like the one in his reality and had a computer room.

And hopefully the WiFi was better.

888

If there was a last place in the universe that Derek Hale wanted to be at right this moment? Pulling up into the parking lot of the Search Light Youth Center for **The** **Meeting** was it. The Meeting had been held at the Youth Center for the last ten years. It was one of the few buildings in Beacon Hills that could support such a massive influx of people without becoming a fire hazard. Almost if it had been designed for the purpose of being the gathering place for The Meeting and only doubled as the Youth Center. Derek snorted softly, knowing his family that probably was why the Youth Center was built. He had to give his aunt her due. He wasn't sure if anyone could have handled the preparations for the Festival the way she and his mother had very year.

Derek blinked when the engine of the car turned off suddenly. He looked at his dad, the driver of the car. Well, he was technically Derek's step-dad, when the newly turned mate of his mother claimed Derek and the twins Cora and Lander as his cubs? Something Zane Stilinski hadn't done for Derek's older brothers or sisters, he just rolled with it. It's not like his real dad had ever been in the picture. Derek and the Twins had been the product of an alliance with another pack. And the Triplets were Zane's biologically.

When Derek's father saw that Talia Hale was never going to give up her Alpha status to Derek's father so he could become the Alpha. Derek's father left and went back to his pack when Derek was five and the Twins were just born. Derek had heard rumors that his father had become an Alpha when he was ten.

Zane Stilinski was pack and that was all that mattered.

"I know this is the last place you want to be, Derek." Zane said.

"I'm only twenty, dad..." Derek couldn't keep the whine out of his voice, though he didn't try very hard not too.

"..,And you just finished two years of collage, and moved back home, you're about to start a new job, I know, Derek." Zane said with a sigh, "But you know how important Rotkappchen's Festival is to the Pack."

"There is no proof that Halebourne was our families ancestor." Derek grumbled, but it was a family legend that the Werewolf Halebourne and Rotkappchen were the progenitors of the Hale family.

"I'm not going to beg you," Zane told him. Not that Derek thought he would. The Sheriff of Beacon County begged nothing no one for nothing. He asked politely and if that didn't work then he demanded and if that didn't work? Well, no one had been stupid enough to push the Sheriff.

"Okay, good. I'm impervious to your influence anyway." Derek said, which was untrue, Zane was one of the best influences in his life. And about to start his apprenticeship at Dogwood, the tattoo shop owned by his mother's younger sister, Livia.

Derek would have become a deputy to follow in his step-dad's footprints. But being a tattoo artist was pretty much the only way he could satisfy his craving to made art and get paid regularly.

"Extortion?"

"You got nothing on me, old man." Derek grinned at the light glare he received the words. Zane had met, mated and got the bite from Talia when he was he his early forties. Derek knew his dad had been worried he was to old for Talia. Derek could only imagine how surprised Zane must have been to learn that Talia was older than him by a lot.

No one is sure how long a werewolf can live because most wolves have in the past been killed by hunters and other supernatural creatures. Weres/shifter all age like normal humans up until they hit their teen years then the aging process slowly down. Werewolves can look a lot older than they are due to the trauma they have suffered in their life. In fact it takes a lot of physical, emotional, or spiritual trauma for a werewolf to show their age.

"How do you feel about a bribe?"

Derek wobbled a hand side to side, "Keep talking."

"I'll give you a dime for every person you _don't_ sent running away in terror."

And Zane would. If his dad actually used the internet for anything other than work? He would be trolling the idiots of the Internet, Derek just knew it.

Derek sighed, he just had to get through **The** **Meeting**. Then he would have freedom! Sweet wonderful freedom from parental or familial interference in his life. Because taking their advice is what caused the whole thing with Braeden to blow up in his face. If nothing else it had taught Derek not to date anyone with ties to the Pack. No matter how vague they were. Braeden was just scary, and he was glad she was mostly mad at his oldest brother Trick for seducing her into sleeping with him.(or so she claimed. Derek had his doubts about that.) Thus proofing she wasn't right for Derek.

Derek followed Zane out of the car and they started toward the Youth Center. Derek looked past the basketball courts, and longingly at the gardens with the woodened area that led to trials in to the Preserve for hiking.

It wouldn't take much and he could- He felt a hand come down on the back of his neck as his dad leveled a look at him.

"I'm not going to run. No matter how much I want too." Derek muttered.

Zane just raised an eyebrow at him. And _Damn_ _to_ _Lykaon,_ it wasn't fair that the things Zane learned as a cop made him a better werewolf. He always knew when Derek was lying to him even without listening to Derek's heart beat.

They walked into the Center and Derek almost ran over a teenage boy who was loitering in the lobby. He was lithe and tall, just a bit shorter than Derek. He had messy short dark mahogany, gravity-deifying spiky hair. A small up turned nose, pale skin with the most prettiest amber eyes that Derek had ever seen. On the boy's left cheek was a scattering of moles that, Derek was sure resemble the Lupus star constellation. He was carrying a small brown backpack, leather by the scent and wore a bright red zip up hoodie, black jeans an brown hiking boots. The only thing that seemed odd was the ornate metal belt around his waist.

"I know this is mostly public property but you just can't stand around being in everyone's way! You need to find somewhere more private if you just want to stand around gazing at nothing." Derek informed the boy coldly. Derek knew the look on his face would have been enough to sent any normal person running in fear. The boy just laughed, boarding on hysterical. The pain and grief poured from the boy like poison. It wasn't a pleasant scent to say the least.

Idly Derek wondered what the boy's natural scent was normally. He shook off the thought by asking the boy, "Are you even old enough to be here?" But instead of answering the boy only laughed some more.

"Derek, he's wearing red." Zane said as if it was the most obvious thing ever and the boy had stiffened when the Sheriff spoke, his gaze dropping to Zane's uniform, turning the boy's scent acidic as a new wave of rage and grief poured from him.

Great, Derek thought, the kid as issues with the cops.

Derek did not need this. He was one second from just leaving and letting his dad deal with the kid but... there was something about this kid. Maybe it was the utter despair that shone from those amber eyes that tugged at Derek. Making him want to wrap the kid up in a blanket and hide the kid under his bed and protect him.

It was a weird feeling.

Derek _didn't_ _like_ it.

"Do you need help finding your way to the main hall?" Zane asked looking at the boy as if his very presences confused him.

The boy got control of himself the grief and anger disappeared as he gave an sad smile when he said, "No, sir, Sheriff. Being mated to a supernatural creature before I'm finished with high school is not in my plans."

That wasn't a complete lie, Derek thought. The boys heart rate only skipped once and that was when he said the word 'Sheriff.' " Could the kid be attracted to his dad? Derek didn't like that thought and pushed it away.

"What's your name, son."

If you hadn't been looking you never would have seen the slight flinch the boy gave when Zane called him son. The boy looked confused, like he didn't want to answer the question but after licking his lips he said, "Nyctimus," Stiles continued with, "but everyone calls me Stiles."

Really? That was the kid's answer? Derek thought but said, "What the hell is a Stiles?"

Derek almost felt bad when he saw the boy give him a disappointed look.

Why he was _disappointed_ Derek couldn't even begin to know. Maybe because he expected a better retort or something more original? Cause that couldn't have been the first time the kid heard that.

"Lame," Stiles muttered to Derek then said, "Look as fun as this conversation as been," Stiles tone implying that it had been anything but fun, "I need to find a computer."

The boy started to walk away and Zane grabbed him by the shoulder, "Now hold on," Zane started but Stiles did some complex marshal arts move. Derek could only watched wide eyed as Zane was pinned to a wall, helpless. Derek growled, letting his eyes flash. Stiles gave Derek a blank bland look, as if he wasn't afraid, and he _wasn't_. Because Stiles didn't smell afraid.

 _And_ _he_ _should_! Most humans did when confronted with a werewolf would be afraid and would smell so. This boy didn't.

Derek was confused. Derek didn't like being confused. Least of all by a teenage boy, Derek could snap like a twig it he wanted.

"Chill, Sourwolf. One he's a werewolf." Stiles said and Zane's eyes flashed yellow-gold in the low light of the lobby as if to give the kid's statement more impact. Derek knew it was because Stiles emotions Anger, Grief, Resentment, were flooding the room again.

"Two, he let me pin him. Because it's not like I have the strength to keep a werewolf pinned..." Stiles paused as if realizing what he had done, "to the wall." he finished stepping back from Zane.

"You're strong." Zane muttered before asking, "Who taught you self-defense? You must have known some Weres or a Shifter to be comfortable using it on one."

Derek watched as Zane rubbed his right shoulder, he had gotten shot a few years before he had met his mother. It had given Zane a lot of problems until he took the Bite. Derek knew there was nothing wrong with his dad and that Zane was just rubbing it out of an old human habit.

Stiles turned away grabbing up the backpack he dropped as he said softly, "A lot of people taught me many things." From the way Stiles said it. It wasn't a happy experience, Derek thought as Stiles practically ran down the hall way from them.

"Well," Zane said, "he was certainly interesting." Derek just grunted in reply. Zane rolled his eyes at the response. "That is one messed up kid," he continued softly.

Because scent could tell a Were a lot of things. Basic things about a person's physical health and mental (because yes, some mental illnesses had a certain scent). Scent can also tell you where someone has been or who they've been with.

The kid smelled like a local. Though Derek had never seen Stiles before today. Though it wasn't like Derek knew every person in town or anything. He also smelled of Wolves, magic on Stiles grief and anger were also the type Derek had learned to associate with death.

Stiles didn't make any sense.

"It's strange," Zane said suddenly, looking intrigued, "but the kid looks like a mirror image of my younger brother, Zale at that age."

Zane hardly ever talked about his blood family. So when he did Derek paid attention. Even after being in the Hale family for four years, Derek still learned new things about his Dad.

"I didn't know you had a brother."

Zane nodded, "He was a military. He was actually coming home on leave when..." he trailed off. The scent of sadness from his dad startled Derek.

"When?" Derek prompted quietly.

"Zale was coming home on a plane..." Zane said, "I got a phone call just before..." Zane sighed and shook his head, "My baby brother was my hero."

Derek put a hand on his dad's shoulder, "Maybe one day you can tell me more about him?"

Zane smiled slightly nodding, then with a slyly look, "You sure can pick them, son." Zane said.

 _Wait_? _What_? _No_. Derek thought, "No." he told his dad flatly, while trying not to think about how pretty, he thought, Stiles eyes were. "He looked like he was twelve."

Zane sighed, grabbing Derek by the neck again just before Derek could side step his dad and make a bid for freedom. "Sometimes you amaze me, Derek."

Derek didn't think his dad meant that in the good way. Derek only huffed and let his dad drag him to the main hall.

888

Stiles stumbled in to the computer room, he knew he was on the verge of a panic attack. He sank down in front of the closest computer and quickly turned it on trying not to think about how... His own father didn't know him. _Didn't_ _know_ _him_! That right there told Stiles it was possible that he didn't exists in this reality!

 _Derek_ _Hale_... was a live. Stiles shook slightly, _this_ Derek had been all clean shaven, leather jacket wearing, and grumpy. He reminded Stiles of _his_ Derek when Stiles had first seen _his_ Derek.

Stiles took some deep calming breaths, and began to type.

Twenty minutes later he had learned that this reality in terms of world events had flowed close to his own except for the fact that Supernatural creatures were known. And lived side by side humans normally. It wasn't always so the there had been wars in the Ancient times that had almost wiped out normal Humans and Supernaturals. So it wasn't surprising to learn that the too groups learned to live with each other. Supernaturals though stayed out of Human politics and Human wars. They didn't seem to care so long as Humans didn't endanger them or the planet.

Humans did the same for Supernaturals. With the excepted being the Enforcers that were employed by varying Supernaturals for protection or business. Enforcers had once been the Hunters of said Creatures until the Hunter Wars in the early 1500's.

The Hunters lost. And the Enforcement of the Code became mandatory for both Hunter and Supernaturals: **No Supernatural may harm a Human.** **No Hunter shall harm a Supernatural who has not harmed a Human.**

There were other subsets and by-laws of the Code. But those two were the main ones. And from what Stiles read...

 **Boston Gazette**

 **May 4, 1830**

 **Code Abiding Kitsune Family Brutally Murdered By Hunters...**

 _At 3 O'clock this morning a fire was set to the home of the Larenards. Mountain Ash and Foxglove were found at the scene. The family, Dean and Zoë Larenard and youngest children, five year old twin boys, Lucas and Marcus were found dead by the local police and fire firefighters who arrived on at the crime scene. They had been stabbed repeatedly and there were signs of foxglove poisoning on the victims._

 _The oldest daughter at seventeen, Teyla was found barely alive and had been violated in a most brutal fashion. Teyla told the police that this was the fault of the local Hunter family the Andersons..._

Simply because the daughter had refused the suit of a Hunter. A stricter enforcement of the Code by both sides happened and the Enforcers Council was created.

Enforcers could be Human or Supernaturals. They enforced the Code for both sides.

Which made sense to Stiles. If there was a watch dog from both sides watching each other then there was less of a chance for either side to screw up.

It was mostly Beacon Hills history that had changed. The Hales were alive and Stiles dad- no, Sheriff Stilinski was married to Talia Hale. Stiles found article on one of the alpha's previous husbands.

 **Beacon Hills Herald**

 **October 10, 1987**

 **Philip Coulson-Hale, age 38**

 _Died from complicates from the gunshots wounds he received after being attacked by a member of the Hunters Coalition. He is survived by his wife of ten years Alpha Talia Hale, and his three children, Patrick, Damon, and Laura._

 _The memorial will be Friday, October 13, at the Beacon Hills Preserve National Park..._

From a wedding announcement, Stiles had read said that Talia Hale's second husband had been a Werewolf from an ally pack who wanted to made a permanent alliance. William Connor was the father of Derek, Cora and Lander. It was a much shorter marriage than Talia's first, ending in divorce after lasting only five years.

 **New York Times**

 **May 9, 2006**

 _Alpha Anthony Rodgers Beltane has once more produced many Mated couples this year. The most notable is that of Alpha Taila Hale from Beacon Hills, California and that of Zane Stilinski. Zane Stilinski joined the NYPD in_ **1998** _after a ten year career in the Air Force, making Detective by_ _ **2001.**_

 _Zane Stilinski is the brother of War Hero and National Hero Zale Stilinski. Zale Stilinski was honor posthumous for his actions during 9/11. Zale Stilinski was on the second plane and was able to get a warning out telling that the plane was heading toward the second tower twenty minutes before it actually hit the building. Many lives were saved because of this..._

Zane Stilinski was Talia's **Mate.** Something her previous spouses hadn't been and the father of the youngest Hales, the triplets, Konrad, Sera, Nita. From want Stiles remembered Mates were a BIG thing to Were and some Shifters. A Mate was the perfect person for you. That wasn't to say a Were only had one Mate ever. Cause people died or things just don't workout between people. It was one of the reasons for the Festivals were so Weres/Shifters could look for compatible people to be with and if they were lucky would find some one they would consider as a mate.

Stiles found out everything he could about the Hales, and the members of his own pack and allies. Almost all of them were in Beacon Hill or Beacon County. So there was that.

Then Stiles looked up his enemies...mostly the Alpha Pack. Which he was glad to learn was scattered all over the country, most were mated.

Stiles could only stare at the computer monitor in disbelief as he read the informant on the Argents.

 **Beacon County Observer**

 **November 2, 2008**

 **What Is Alpha Talia Hale Thinking?**

 _It was come to the attention of this reporter that our Alpha as lost her mind. Why? You ask? It's quite simple she has hired Christopher Argent and his wife, Victoria Chasseur-Argent as the Enforcers for the territory._

 _As you dear readers remember the scandal that led to the deaths of Gerard Argent and his daughter, Katherine ten years ago..._

It was learning that the _Argents_ were the Enforcers for the Hales that horrified Stiles. Stiles was sure the Enforcers Council had something to do with there deaths of the Gerard and Kate Argent. Stiles triple check everything on them to be as sure as he could without seeing the bodies that they were actually dead.

Stiles got up running a hand over his face tiredly, his other hand tightened on the strap of his back pack and he walked out of the room. He had taken about five steps when he heard,

"... _By_ _Lykaon's_ _Bastard_ , Peter!" Coming from the woman, Stiles had met earlier and she was addressing _Peter_ _Hale_ , with an unhappy look.

"Such language is so unbecoming of a lady, Gloriana," Peter said in a soothing tone, but Gloriana wasn't having any of that it seemed.

"I'm not a lady but a Witch, Peter!" She yelled.

"No, actually you are my _wife_!" Peter snarled back at the strawberry blonde.

"There are days when I'm not sure I want to be that anymore." Gloriana muttered and started to walk away from Peter, but Peter grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her to him, nuzzling at her neck. Stiles was about to step forward to help the woman but realized that Gloriana was letting him do it.

Suddenly a rolled up newspaper appeared in Gloriana's hand. Peter gave a slight yelp when it hit him in the face.

Stiles blinked and couldn't stop himself as he asked, "Did you really just hit Peter on the nose with a rolled up newspaper?"

Gloriana shrugged, "He deserved it."

"Oh, I don't doubt that." Stiles said walking up to them, "I'm sure Peter deserves a lot of things. and none of them good." Stiles ignored the intrigued look he got from Peter. Having Peter Hale's interest never ended well.

"Oh My Glory, look, _Bambi_ here thinks he knows things."

But it looked like it was to late for that.

Stiles rolled his eyes and took Gloriana's hand in his own bringing it up to his mouth, kissing the back of it and ignoring Peter's slight rumble of irritation. "What did he _do_ , my lady?"

Gloriana gave Stiles an amused look, "Oh, he upset the Druids...again! I'm swamped helping Talia run things for the Festival and _he_ thinks it a good idea to make trouble." Gloriana sighed, pulling her hand away from Stiles but leaned close to confide, "If he didn't make such pretty babies? I would have dumped him years ago," she flashed Peter a teasing smile. So, Stiles knew she was joking.

Stiles shook his head, "He really doesn't deserve you," taking her hand again and pressing the back of it his chest, in an overly dramatic way said, "Run away with me!"

Gloriana laughed, "I think I like you..."

"Stiles."

"Oh, I know I do." Peter said in a smarmy tone.

Stiles looked at Peter, cringing as the man's eyes trailed over him. Stiles dropped her hand as he looked back to Gloriana, "You do know your husband is one moment away from bad touching me, right?"

Gloriana nodded, "I do," and then frowned, "The real question is how do _you_ know that?"

Stiles was actually stumped for an answer that didn't make him sound crazy. When he heard a shout come from up the hall and what sounded like _wheezing_?

"I'm...just...gonna..." Stiles gave up trying to explain and bolted.

After Stiles had left Gloriana turned towards Peter. "He seemed like a nice boy."

"Yes," Peter drawled out staring after the boy in a way that almost made Gloriana worry, then Peter glanced at her, "We could use a pet," at his wife's darkening look he clarified, "to take care of the children, of course."

Gloriana snorted, "Right."

Peter shrugged, shaking his head, "That boy is destined for our the Pack."

Gloriana said nothing. But didn't doubt her husband because Peter knew what others did not. And he was always right.

888

It had been an hour since Derek had met Stiles and he was still trying not to think about the kid. Running into his Uncle Peter hadn't helped that. "Go Court, Mate, and make him Pack." was what Peter had told him to do. Derek had flatly told him no, before walking way from his uncle. Derek had been walking in the hall ways avoiding all the rooms with people in them.

When Derek heard Stiles voice come from up the hall way,

"You've got to be kidding, me?"

Derek heard Stiles say as he turned a corner but stayed in the shadows of the hallway but could see Stiles glaring at, a couple of teenage twin boys, the Carver Betas, as they tossed an inhaler back and forth over the head of the dopey looking wheezing kid, that the inhaler had to belong too. Derek was just about to step forward to put a stop to this, when Stiles stepped up to Twin 1 and sucker punched him in the side hard enough for the boy to double over, the inhaler fell to the ground.

"It's not funny when some else," Stiles said, kicking Twin 2 in the back of the knee causing the beta to stumble and hit the floor, "is doing the bullying..." Stiles grabbed Twin 1 by the throat when he made a lunge for Stiles, who then slammed Twin 1's head into the wall of the hallway, dazing the beta. He dropped Twin 1 and turned to kick Twin 2 in the face, "Now is it?"

Derek didn't think Stiles really wanted an answer as he watched Stiles pick up the inhaler and was about to hand it to the wheezy boy,

"Oh, Shit!" Stiles yelled out when a mostly shifted _lizard creature_ jumped out in front of the weaker boy, lashing his tail at Stiles. Stiles jumped back avoiding the tail barely, tossing the inhaler at him. The lizard caught it glaring and handed it to the boy, who shook it quickly and then took a hit off of it.

Derek stepped closer when the lizard started towards Stiles.

"Jackson! Stop!"

"But Scott..." Jackson, the adopted son of the Whittmore Kandimas, started to asked his friend. Jackson had gotten turned by his adopted father two years ago, in order to be able to officially make the boy his heir. Mostly Derek remembered the fit his mother had thrown over it. Talia had planned to ask Jackson if he wanted the Bite and become a wolf. Why though Derek didn't know.

Scott pointed to the Twins as the two boys helped each other to their feet, "He was helping me, Jackson." When Jackson saw who they were, he let out a hiss at them and gave Stiles a slight nod of acknowledgement. To Stiles, Scott said, "Thanks for helping me."

Stiles shrugged, "No problem. My best friend had asthma."

And there is was again, a wave of pain and grief, that could only be associated with death. Derek wondered how many people Stiles had lost to make his scent so consumed by Anger, Pain and Grief. Derek shifted his weight when the Carvers stared at Stiles in a way Derek didn't like, if they attacked...

"Problem, boys?" Zane's came from besides Derek. He wondered just how long his dad had been there before he made himself known.

"Yes, there's a problem!" Twin 1 snarled.

Zane nodded, calmly, "And what would that be, Aiden, Ethan?"

And of course his dad would know the betas names, Derek thought.

"He attacked us for no reason!" Aiden said pointing at Stiles. Stiles looked shocked at the accusation. "We were just trying to help, Scott..."A look of rage replaced the shocked look Stiles had. Derek was glad that look was not aimed at him. Scott looked like he wanted to say something but Whittmore grabbed his wrist tightly and Scott looked away.

"Wait," Zane cut in, "You want me to believe that," Zane pointed to Stiles, "some one who might weight one hundred and thirty-five pounds soaking wet at the most," Stiles turned away muttering under his breath so low even the wolves couldn't hear him, "attacked you both? For no reason what so ever?"

When Aiden nodded, Derek had enough, stepping out of the shadows he said, "He's lying, Dad."

"Creeping in the shadows like a Creeper-Wolf," Stiles muttered but didn't look surprised to see Derek.

"You willing to make a statement, Derek?" Zane asked. At Derek's nod, Aiden took a step towards Stiles. Stiles just gave Aiden, a disturbingly blank stare as he cock his head to the side, looking at the beta as if Aiden was some strange creature he had ever seen before.

"Aiden, no," Ethan said touching Aiden's arm and giving his brother a meaningful look, "we don't want any trouble." Aiden shook off his brother and stormed away. Ethan only shrugged and followed his brother.

"Always lovely dealing with the Twins," Stiles muttered walking past Scott grabbing him by the arm, "I'm bored, Scotty-boy. Let's go find a video game consul. How does 'Call of Duty' sound?" Jackson growled, "I guess your boyfriend can come too." Stiles said sarcastically as he dragged Scott down the hall.

"What?" Scott exclaimed, "Jackson's not my boyfriend!" Scott looked over his shoulder at Jackson, shaking his head as he said, "You are not my boyfriend!" Jackson just gave Scott an unimpressed look. Scott looked back at Stiles, and exclaimed earnestly, "I like girls!"

Stiles nodded agreeingly, "So do I. And in memory of Caitlin, who with a simple sentence threw my sexual orientation into question, when she told me, **'** _I_ _also_ _like_ _boys_ , _do_ _you_? **'** " Stiles gave Scott a look that was full of meaning.

Scott only flailed his arms as he stuttered incoherently as an answer. Behind them Jackson sighed loudly as he followed after them.

When the boys were out of sight Zane said, "That Stiles kid is really keeping things interesting, isn't he."

Derek said nothing and before he could slip away, Zane grabbed him by the back of the neck once more pulling Derek into and almost hug, "Your mother wants to see you."

"Oh, joy." Derek said dryly as Zane pulled him back to the main hall.

888

Stiles slipped away from Scott when he was distracted by Jackson whispering in Scott's ear things Stiles didn't want to hear. Ever.

Stiles wandered through the familiar, yet not, rooms of the Youth Center. In a room to Stiles left he heard voices. He glanced through the open door and saw Alan Deaton sitting at a table with Peter Hale and a tall dark haired man. The man was young, maybe a handful of years older than Derek. The guy was also very attractive, almost prettier than Derek, but no, no one was prettier than Derek Hale. Yet this guy came close.

When Stiles stepped into the room Peter's head snapped up and he gave Stiles a small smirk.

"Come on, Alan. I've been working on this protection rune for months!" the man said as Stiles slinked closer to the table ignoring Peter. As he stopped just behind the dark haired man looking over his shoulder at the small open notebook laying on the table in front of him, "Tell me what I'm doing wrong."

"Damon, if I do it for you, you will never learn." Deaton said.

Damon turned to Peter and whined, "Uncle!"

Peter shook his head.

"What the hell!" Stiles exclaimed, causing Damon to jump and look at him. Stiles reached pass him and pulled the book closer. "You do _know_ if you attempt to use this...What are you using this for? No, don't just don't use this. Because..." Stiles stops and looked at Deaton.

Deaton gave Stiles a curious look and inclined his head giving Stiles permission to continue, "First of all you have this rune inverted, so what ever you are trying to do? Is going to do the total opposite of what you are want to accomplish and second..." Stiles turned the notebook upside down, "you drew the rune upside down."

Damon looked up at Stiles, "Who are you," in that half confused-half snarl, all Hales Stiles had known, had used with Stiles the first time he met them. Damon's eyes were blue, Stiles could see, they were a deep sapphire blue.

"Stiles," Peter purred.

Damon gave Peter a look. It was never a good thing when his uncle used that tone. And from the look on the kid's face. The kid knew that too from the way Stiles rolled his eyes.

"And what would you do?" Deaton asked.

"Well I'm not going to be a cryptic bastard and not tell him why this won't work so I can keep the _balance."_ Stiles said scathingly, then turned to Damon and began to explain everything wrong with the rune and how to use the protection rune it the right way.

Peter snickered at the look on Embassary's face.

Twenty minutes later Damon had dragged Stiles to see a group of Druids and magic users, and debated runes verses spells for an hour. Stiles left them when he got hungry and went looking for food. He wandered through the rooms of the Youth Center. Until he got to the main hall, which was just a really big, open room, where there were tables covered in red clothes. Three buffet style hot tables, and two cold, and another that had just deserts on it. Stiles could see people dressed in food service uniforms waiting tables and passing out plates and drinks.

Stiles was making his way to one of the buffet tables, he could see the mountain of curly fries, that were calling his name. When Stiles bumped into a girl with dark hair, it was _Allison_ _Argent,_ her hair was long, like it had been when Stiles first met her and she was wearing a bright crimson butterfly clip that was holding her hair back away from her face and a matching red dress. Allison smiled shyly at him showing off the dimples on her cheeks.

"I'm so sorry," she said, then waved a hand around, at all of the people, "This place is crazy. I'm Allison, by the way."

"It's okay," Stiles mumbled, because it was _Allison,_ who was alive and healthy, and he has felt so guilty for her death for so long...

"Is this your first time at **The** **Meeting** too..." Allison asked trailing off questioningly.

Stiles nodded, because of course it was, "Stiles."

Allison wrinkled her nose, "What's a-"

"Please, don't," Stiles said irritated, "finish that sentence. It's a nick name."

Allison giggled, "I guess you hear that a lot, huh?"

"More than I'd like."

"You know I-" Allison was cut off by someone calling her name. Allison closed her eyes, grimacing, "Great, " she muttered. Looking over her shoulder Stiles could see Chris and Victoria Argent coming towards them.

"Allison!" Victoria said sharply.

Allison turned towards her mother, "I don't know why you let me come to The Meeting if I'm not allowed to talk to anyone."

"Just because the Supernaturals think you have some scent that will make you compatible with one of them, doesn't you must take one for a _mate."_ Victoria said making the word mate sound like a dirty word.

So much for thinking that the Argents were different in this reality, Stiles thought and before he could stop himself said, "Don't you think Allison should be the one to decide that?"

"You should mind your own business, you..." Victoria stumble over her words as she looked at Stiles, her eyes falling to his red hoodie.

"Red? Chosen?" Stiles asked. He was tired and hungry, his temper was fraying around the edges. "Or perhaps you want to use something a bit coarser like Wolf-Whore? Or Bitch?" Stiles held up a finger tisking at the red haired woman, "Your Hunter origins are showing, Enforcer."

"Do you have a problem with hunters?" Chris spoke up, his pale blue eyes watching Stiles as if he were some dangerous animal.

"Only those that do not follow the Code to the letter, _Mr_. _Argent_." Stiles hissed darkly, Victoria gasped at his tone and Chris took a step back face pale at what Stiles was implying. Stiles was pretty sure he had hit a nerve by their reactions.

"Hunters hurt you?" Allison asked, and oh, no, she had 'sad Disney princess' face.

An normally Stiles would do anything for her not to have that look but... At one point or another all three of the people in front of him had hunted and hurt those Stiles had cared about. "A hunter killed my pack!" He snarled, coldly. He would have said more but a commotion caught coming from the next room caught his attention as he heard a voice yell out angrily,

"STILINSKI!"

"It's Donovan O'Keefe," Allison said worried.

"It sounds like he's threatening the Sheriff, again." Chris said sharing his daughter's worry.

Which won those two a few points with Stiles.

"The boy is human. I doubt he's any sort of threat to our dear Sheriff." Victoria said with a trace of sarcasm in her voice.

Victoria was now Stiles least favorite Argent.

"Donovan O'Keefe is a threat or don't Enforcers know a Wendingo when they see one!" Stiles said before racing off to the next room.


	3. Chapter 3

Luckily for Derek his mother just wanted to make sure he was actually in the building and not hiding out in the gardens... and damn why hadn't he thought of that? He was able to sneak away from her when she got involved with a conversation with Mayor Elizabeth Burke-Caffery and her mates, Paul Burke and Neal Caffery about adding a new Supernatural wing to Beacon Hills Memorial Hospital.

Looking around the room Derek saw Cora waving him over to her table. Cora sat with her best friend Lydia Martin and one of the newer deputies on the force. Derek thought his name might be Parrish? Derek went over and sat down by his sister. It was odd to see Cora without Lander but he and their cousin Malia had gone to **The Meeting** yesterday. They were at home tonight watching the younger cubs.

"I heard some one caught your attention. Some one called Stiles?" Cora asked with a grin as she slid a plate of haystack cookies over to Derek. He took a cookie from the plate.

"No." Derek said, taking a savage bit of the cookie.

"I heard he danced with the Fae princess, Heather like she was an old friend." Lydia said taking a sip of her punch.

"No, he compliment a dwarrow lady on her beard." Cora told them.

"Is that the kid in the red hoodie everyone is talking about? " Parrish asked.

Derek nodded.

"He's very brave or very stupid. I think saw him flirting with a group of Succubae earlier." Parrish said.

Slowly conversation turned to other things than Stiles, much to Derek's relief. Cora talked about finding one or two people with the potential to be a mate to her. Lydia said she wasn't looking for mate at this festival. Derek wondered if it had anything thing to do with the way Jackson Whittmore was following the McCall boy around. He still remembered the crying and screaming that had gone on when the Banshee heiress and the Whittmore boy broke up earlier that year. Derek was just glad he didn't have to hear Cora bitch about it any more.

Although Derek did think it was amusing the way Lydia and Parrish avoided eye contact after she say that. It made him think there was a story there. When Lydia eyes turned dreamy and far away as she suddenly said, **"Alea iacta est,"** Lydia said in Latin.

 _The die is cast,_ Derek thought.

 **"Lykaon's last son is here. May our fates be forever changed,"** Lydia whisperedbefore screaming loudly enough to shatter the glassware, and cause several humans to pass out from the sound as well as causing the ears of many of the Supernaturals to 's eyes rolled up and she fainted. Parrish was the only close enough and quick enough to catch her before she hit the floor.

Derek shook his head and rubbed his healing ears when he saw his dad.

"Well we know some one is dead or about to be," Zane said after he made his over way to their table. Lydia was the Sheriff's office most reliable source when it came to murders cases. Derek quickly told him what she had said. He could see Parrish hovering over Lydia protectively.

"STILINSKI!"

Both Derek and Zane turned to see a young dark hair teen stomp into the room. But something was off, the kid looked wild eyed and angry. Derek sighed, this boy had been cause Zane trouble for the last couple of years. In and out of trouble with the law. The only time it had stopped was when the kid had been trying to become a deputy.

Derek raised an eye brow when Stiles slipped up next to him quietly.

"Stilinski! Stilinski! I'm going to kill you!" Donovan yelled.

"If you think that surprises me? Remember it was well documented in your Anger Expression Inventory." Zane said calmly. Yeah, this kid was never going to be a cop. Zane had made sure of that.

"I'm not angry like I'm going to throw a brick through your window. But like I'm going to rip out your liver, " Donovan's eyes flash white for a moment, he licked his lips hungrily, "and... _eat it!_ And when you look up at me and you ask why? Remember right now."

"Wow, that was great." Derek deadpanned, "No, really some grade A, Christopher Walken stuff right there." Derek said leaning over close to Stiles, he whispered "It made me shiver."

From the expression of aggravation Donovan had on his face he had heard the werewolf.

Sass master Derek was in _fine_ form, Stiles thought. That right there was the reason Derek would be Stiles favorite no matter what reality he found himself in.

"Is it a surprise he is threatening to eat people?" Stiles asked, "He's a Windingo! That's what they _do_!" the last sentence was muttered but from the white flash of Donovan's eyes Stiles knew he had heard him.

"You smell like Stilinski." Donovan said confused to Stiles, " Like his blood...like his _family_. Why?"

"Well I _am_ his son."

Derek could sense no lie at Stiles words, no skip in his heat beat, no outbreak of sweat, or tremor in his voice. Derek noticed Cora trying to sneak up on Donovan, her claws were out and her eyes glowed yellow. Cora hated it when anyone threaten their step father.

"Cora! No, don't!" Zane shouted but it was too late as Cora swiped her claws at Dononvan but the boy stepped back and knocked Cora off balanced which let Donovan grab Cora, one arm around her neck, with his other hand he pulled a small hand gun from behind his back. Derek wondered how the boy had got the weapon past Zane's security.

"Stay back! I'll kill her!" Donovan shouted, pointing the gun at Cora's head.

"Just bite him, _Cora_!" Stiles said. Derek wondered how Stiles knew Cora's name for a moment but didn't think it was to important as Donovan started to look panicked.

Cora shook her head, muttering "Wolfsbane in the bullets."

It would be to dangerous to bit him in case the gun went off, with as many Weres around Derek rolled his eyes and shoved Stiles back behind him. Ignoring the indignity sound Stiles made at the action.

"Let my sister go and I'll rip out your throat." Derek growled his glowing bright blue.

"Don't you mean you _won't_ rip out my throat." Donovan asked confused.

Derek gave him a bland look, "No," he said, flatly.

Stiles stepped around Derek ignoring the warning growl. When he saw Donovan's clawed fingers had tightened around the gun and he was glaring at the Sheriff. Stiles decided to bring Donovan's attention to himself and away from the Sheriff.

"I read about your dad, you know." Stiles said to distract the other boy. And Stiles had too, when he was been reading about Beacon Hills. Stiles had looked up friend and foe alike. "How he didn't wait for back up and got caught in that shoot out. How the bullet shattered his T-9 vertebrata. Went right through his spinal cord, didn't it? Making everything below his waist useless."

Donovan growled lowly. Stiles could see Donovan's fangs had begun to drop, "What happened Donny-boy? Did you get tired of having to clean up after dear old dad every time he shit himself," Stiles said cruelly, his voice dropping to a low purr, his eyes dark, "Must have been hard to see him like that. Windingos admire strength. Did you know a Windingo who only eats the flesh of the deceased glows sliver? But one that feasts of fresh flesh their eyes glows white? Just like yours are now, Donny. Tell me, was it mercy? When you killed and _ate_ your father?"

Engaged by Stiles words he shoved Cora away from him harshly causing her to fall and hit her head on the side of a nearby table. Donvan points the gun at Stiles but Derek moved and kicked the gun out of his hand. Derek circled around Donovan like a wolf going in got the kill.

Donovan's claws grow longer, and his mouth over filled with teeth as his eyes glowed white b rightly. Stiles pulled the metal belt from around his waist and with a flick of his wrist. With the crackle of electricity and the smell of magic the belt formed into a katana in his hand. Stiles moved quickly, slicing Donovan's forearms but not before Donovan was able to cut up Stiles shoulder with a clawed hand. Derek slashed his claws along the Windoingos back. Derek backed away when Donovan swung wildly around at Derek screaming in pain.

Stiles brought the sword down across the top of Donovan's upper left thigh, blood spattered of the floor and Stiles then twisted bringing the sword up behind Donovan's right knee. Donovan fell to the floor trying to crawl away from Stiles as the boy follows him with a dark look on his face.

 **"WATASHI WA SHI NO SHISHADSU!"** Stiles shouted bringing the sword over his head,

 _I am the messenger of death,_ Derek translated the Japanese words as he saw Stiles surrounded by an aura of dark purple fire, with streaks of bright blue and black in the shape of a fox around him. It was one of the most beautiful if terrifying things Derek had ever seen.

 **"No!"** Noshiko Yukimura said appearing out of nowhere and grabbing Stiles wrist stopping the katana just inches away from Donovan's throat. The Windingo laid in a pool of his own blood looked up at Stiles with wide scared human eyes.

 **"Why not? He is a lost soul, now."** Stiles said harshly.

 **"His blood does not have to be on your hands. There are others who will see to this fate."** Noshiko told him then gave him a considering look, **"I have never seen a Kitsune aura like yours, young one. How did you come by it?"**

 **"I was possessed by a Nogitsune. It...it liked me."** Stiles grimaced, the Void was gone but, **"the fox stayed behind."** Stiles muttered he hated talking about that.

Noshisko gave a slight bow, "If you wish more knowledge about your fox spirit, come and see me, **Kurai Kitsune**. She walked away towards a nearby table where an Asian man sat with a young teen Asian girl. _Kira_ had a bright red headband in her jet black hair. She gave him a curious look as she waved awkwardly at him. Stiles could help but give her a small wave in return as he moved the sword away from Donovan's neck.

With a flick of his wrist the sword in his hand collapse back into a belt. Which he put back around his waist. Three deputies had quickly pinned Donovan to ground and were forcing him in to hand cuffs made for Supernaturals. Donovan fought and cursed screaming threats at the Sheriff the whole time.

Stiles saw a young man helping up _Lydia_ from the floor.

Stiles walked over to the Sheriff, "I will summit to any punishment you see fit to give me," knowing he would more than likely be arrested for almost killing Donovan. Though he was sure no one would have missed the guy.

Zane shook his head, grabbing Stiles up in his arms hugging him, "Mine!" he growled his eyes flashing yellow-gold to the other Supernaturals in the room to warn them off, "You're my son, my cub!"

Stiles knew it couldn't, wouldn't be that easy but tightly hugged the Sheriff back with tears in his eyes.

888

Derek watched as his mother walked over to Stiles and sat down next to him. He had finished giving his statement to Deputy Romeo. Derek turned making his way over to Zane's desk and leaned one next to his dad's.

Zane looked up at Derek and sighed, "We had to call in the Enforcers who will more than likely put Donovan down. We then send deputies to bring in Maggie O'Keefe, Donovan's mother. He has two younger siblings, his sisters, one is six and the other is nine."

Derek cursed because this is bad. If Maggie O'Keefe's eyes glow white she would be put down as well. The younger children because of their age would be sent to Eichen House, the local mental asylum that doubled as a Supernatural prison. There aren't many such places, Derek knew. Because unless it is self-defense or defense of ones mate or children any Supernatural who harmed a human were put down by the Enforcers. Which was just a polite way of saying they were killed. Echien House was the only option in this case if the children's eyes glowed white.

"Do you really think Stiles is your son?" Derek asked changing the subject.

Zane nodded, "He's agreed to a DNA Test."

Which would prove if the kid had been lying or not, Derek thought. Because if he had been? He was a really good liar.

"Mom's talking to him now," Derek said, "She'll get the truth from him."

Zane sighed, "Yes. But is it a truth we want to know? And do we really have the right to make Stiles talk about something so obliviously painful to him?"

Derek didn't know the answer to that.

888

Stiles sat on the bench watching the deputies move around the office. He rubbed his bandage shoulder. Stiles had just got done giving his statement to Deputy _Jordan_ _Parrish._ They hadn't figured out what the deputy had been in Stiles reality but in _this_ one Parrish was a Fire Elemental. Stiles knew that because he asked the deputy, who had been more than willing to tell him about it. Stiles was startled when a very beautiful, very regal looking woman with dark hair and... _Derek's_ _eyes_ sat down next to him.

"I didn't get a chance to introduce myself earlier," the woman said, "I'm Talia Hale.." She gave him a concerned look, "Are you alright Stiles?"

Stiles shrugged.

"I have to thank you, Stiles." Talia told him.

Stiles looked up at her, "Oh, you...don't..."

"You saved my daughter, my Corazon." Talia cut in, then looking over at Zane and Derek smiled, "My mate all but claimed you as his cub tonight. So I think you are coming home with us whether you want too or not."

"No...I..."

The concerned look returned to Talia's face when she looked back at Stiles, "Do you have some place to go?"

And with that question remind Stiles that he was not only reality displaced but homeless as well. If he didn't go with Talia and tried to make his way in his foreign reality he would be alone. Something inside of him howled in denial. But if he went with her? Stiles could have his dad, his pack...maybe even family, again?"

 _I could protect them this time,_ Stiles thought harshly.

"You are a mystery, Stiles," Talia murmured, "I know Zane has no children that I didn't' give him, yet, your scent resembles that of my mate. My home shall be open you...But you have to tell me the truth."

Stiles muttered, this woman reminding him of Scott, "I could be a Hunter or serial killer for all you know."

Talia snorted, "You saved my child tonight, getting wounded your self. That tells me what kind of person you are, Stiles."


	4. Chapter 4

Moonlight shone down over the large, well, Stiles could only describe it a mansion? Lydia once called the Hale House a hauntingly beautiful Victorian Gothic inspired Thomas Kincade painting. Lydia had also seen the memory of the house through the eyes of a young Peter Hale via hallucination.

But she was right.

The house was made of red brick and was at least five stories high. With black shutters and white window seals. It had a big front porch with a large porch swing just made for lounging in. There were also comfortable looking padded chairs scattered around the porch as well.

Hanging from the eves of the porch were wind chimes, some made of metal, others of shells, and a few Stiles was certain were made from animal bones. The light breeze caused them to move and the sounds they made were soft and melodic in the night causing the whole day to seem surreal to Stiles as he followed Talia and the Sheriff(Stiles couldn't think of the man as his Dad, not yet anyway) plus Derek up the porch and into the house.

The foyer was large and open as well as brightly lit, a mahogany double stair case dominated the room. The matching hard wood floor had triskeles about a foot in diameter decorating the wood.

"Zane and I will set up one of the guest rooms for you, Stiles. While Derek shows you to the Family Room-" Talia stopped when her brother stepped into the hall, and she asked him, "How are the cubs?"

"Malia and Lander decided to have a puppy pile in Lander's room. They all looked to be asleep when I checked on them." Peter glanced at Stiles, "Glori and I are fixing Stiles something to eat. With everything that as happened I doubt the boy got to eat at **The Meeting.** "

Stiles was about to tell them not to go to any trouble for him but his stomach chose that moment to growl loudly.

Zane tapped Derek on the shoulder, "Family Room," he reminded Derek.

Derek nodded.

 _Oh,_ Stiles blinked down at where Derek had grabbed him by the wrist and started to pull him out of the foyer and down a short hallway. It was strange, _this_ Derek's touch. It was warm, and tingling... It almost felt like when a werewolf would take pain away...yet that was not quite right. _His_ Derek's touch had never felt like that. Derek had slammed him up against walls, shoved his head into his jeep's steering wheel, and had almost broken Stiles hand to prove a point.

Yeah, warm and tingling? Were **not** the feelings he associated with _his_ Derek Hale.

They two boys walked through a highly decorated parlor, it looked like somewhere you would take High Tea at, as they passed by an open door way. Stiles saw a large dinning room with a huge oak dinning room set. The large table already set with dinner and glassware for the next meal to be had on it.

Derek led Stiles into a comfortable looking room. There was a love seat and a standard sofa, a roman lounge couch covered in black denim. That was the seat Derek collapsed on and threw his arm over his eyes. There was a glass and black metal coffee table between the standard couch and the roman couch. A large T.V. took up one of the walls and there were two or three shelves full of DvDs that Stiles would have loved to go through.

Stiles had been standing in the room for about five minutes. Derek looked like he was asleep. Stiles was about ready to see how quickly he could annoy _this_ Derek when Cora came marching into the room dragging Damon with her.

They had been followed by a frighteningly beautiful brunette woman. Her hair was long almost waist length and her eyes were brown with hints of gold and green in them. Everything about her screamed power and confidents as she walked the line between sultry and slutty. This woman knew the power bright red lipstick had.

She was also familiar... Stiles had only seen the woman once before and that was when he had dug up her grave, so yes she was familiar.

 _Of course she was,_ _ **it was Laura Hale!**_

Derek sat up suddenly, glaring at the new comers.

"So, who's the cutie?" Laura asked after giving Stiles a slow once over that had made him feel like a small bunny up against a large, hungry predator. Stiles slowly backed a way and sat down on the floor in front of a coffee table, putting down his back pack next to him.

"Sti- _les_." Damon sing-songed as he dropped down onto the couch to sit. Laura and Cora sat down on either side of him and a brief shoving and elbow fight was had between the three of them.

"Original. I like it." Laura purred to Stiles even as she got Damon in a head lock

"Down girl! He's Derek's." Cora said stabbing her claws into Laura's arm making her let their brother got with a small growl of pain. Damon shoved Laura off the couch hard and Laura bared her fangs at him. Damon just gave her an unimpressed look.

 _So_ , _that's_ _who_ _he_ _learned_ _it_ _from_ , Stiles thought. He was _so_ familiar with that look. _His_ Derek use to give it to him all the time.

"No! That's not..." Derek started but was cut off when Laura said,

"What! Der-Bear found a Mate before any of us?" Her tone implying that should not be possible.

" _I know, right!"_ Damon exclaimed in agreement.

"So what's wrong with him?" Laura asked giving Stiles the side-eye.

"There is nothing..."Derek stopped because he knew he couldn't finish that sentence without being called a liar by someone in the room. Because there was obviously something wrong with Stiles. He just didn't know what it was yet.

"Are you a musical genius prodigy that's going to break his heart when you go to Julliard?" Laura asked tongue-in-cheek to Stiles.

"Derek cried," Cora cooed sadly, "when he got his Dear John letter from her."

"Or a druidic serial killer out to use our family to protect yourself from an Alpha Pack?" Damon asked seriously.

Laura leaned over the sofa arm closer to Stiles, "Derek ripped out Jennifer's throat...with his teeth." Laura's voice was serious as she said that then she rolled her eyes, "He's such an _animal_."

"Maybe he's an ex-Enforcer turned mercenary who sleeps with Derek's older brother?" Cora hissed, glaring at Damon.

Damon looks regretful for a moment before shrugging, "Braeden's hot. You would have done it too."

Surprisingly Cora didn't deny that.

"I...I'm not," Stiles turned to Derek it seemed like fate didn't like _this_ Derek anymore than it liked the Derek from Stiles reality. Derek _was_ pretty, Stiles could admit that. Someone somewhere was always going to want to chain _that_ up. Torture and Wolfsbane, though? Had never been a part of any scenario, Stiles had by any means, "Dude, is your luck really _that_ _bad_?"

"Don't call me dude." Derek said unhappy at what his siblings were doing. He knew his luck with romance hadn't been the best in a long while but really? He wasn't the only one with an unlucky love life." You want to go there?" he asked the three on the sofa with a raised eyebrow, "Fine."

Derek looked at Damon first, "That vampiress who was already in a love triangle with the two brothers she had turned a hundred years ago?"

"Hey," Damon grinned, "we had a mini orgy," to Stiles, "it was _fantastic_!"

Derek only shook his head then he looked at Laura, "The Enforcer with the _really_ _bad_ _luck_?"

"Hey, he-"

Derek cut Laura off with, "He looked like a one eyed, older version of our _little_ _brother_!"

"My twin, Lander." Cora muttered at Stiles confused look.

Laura glanced away not saying anything.

Derek looked at Cora for a long moment. So long in fact Cora got the start of a smug grin until...

"The bastard son of that monarch." was all Derek said.

Cora covered her face with her hands.

"What was wrong with him" Stiles asked.

Peter strolled into the room, putting a hot ham and cheese sandwich with all of the fixings it had BBQ potatoes chips with it, on the coffee table in front of Stiles, "Nothing, except for the fact he had been dead for four centuries before Cora and he met."

Stiles dug into it quickly.

"It wasn't his fault he was corporally chanellged!" Cora defended hotly. "Besides Peter you married a _witch_!" Cora made it sound as if she meant something else besides witch.

"Yes," Peter agreed, "and _your_ _mother_ married a man who helped create a secret government agency, a power hungry upstart, and Barney Fife."

Stiles, paused in his eating to stared at the Hale siblings and Peter horrified. It wasn't just Derek that Fate hated. She seemed to be out to get all of the Hales romantically. When Stiles realized what Peter said, Stiles snapped," My da-the Sheriff is badass!"

Peter sat down on he sofa next to the coffee table, watching Stiles with an amused expression. Stiles looked down at the table pushing what was left of his sandwich away sighing, he needed to learn when to keep his mouth shut. He blinked when a hand came in to his view holding a mug, looking up he saw Peter's wife.

"Go on take it," Gloriana said. Stiles took the mug and stared at it, he could smell the thick aroma of chocolate coming from it.

"Well drink up," Gloriana said sitting in the floor next to him, rearranging the skirt of her white dress around her legs as she did so, "It's the famous Reddington hot coco." She shook a finger at Stiles, "I don't make it for just anyone, you know. And don't ask what's in it. It's a secret. Not even Peter knows what's in it." Glorianna grinned, "And me believe he's asked."

"I married her for the coco." Peter admitted with a sappy smile at the strawberry blonde who held his heart.

"Secret, huh?" Stiles whispered, a far away look coming to his eyes, before he absently began to recite, "Heat the milk until it's steaming. Add sugar and coco, blend in cinnamon and nutmeg for flavor with a bit of honey to bring it all together. Stir once, twice," ran his finger around the rim of the mug, "thrice. With a kiss blown on top. So the one who drinks it knows they are loved."

Gloriana grabbed Stiles chin looking into his eyes, "No...no, one knows that. Only my sister did and she died in a car accident when she was eighteen."

Stiles nodded, "The car was hit on the passenger's side..."

Gloriana shook her head, "No, it was the driver's side."

"Here in your... _reality_ it was. My mother's sixteen year old sister died on impact." Stiles said slowly, softly, "My mother's name was Claudia."

Gloriana stared at Stiles. What this boy was saying was impossible. There was no way except "You have her eyes," she said slowly, as Gloriana rubbed her thumb across Stiles cheek, "and her beauty marks." She looked at Peter, "Claudia lived! Somewhere she lived! She had a son!"

"For awhile..." Stiles murmured. Gloriana looked sharply at him, "She developed Frontal Temporal Dementia. It causes insanity and ends.."

"With death." Gloriana whispered knowingly, sadly.

Stiles nodded, "She died when I was ten."

Gloriana hugged Stiles, "I have a nephew! I have part of my sister."

"So it would seem, my love." Peter said suspiously.

"Wait! You expect us to believe you are from what? A different time line? _Reality_?" Damon asked incredulous.

Stiles held up a finger as he pulled his back pack to him and opened it. He dug around in it for a minute then pulled out a stack of paper handing them to Damon. He flipped through them reading, his eyes widening with every page. Laura leaned over against his arm to look at them, "That's Peter's handwriting!" Laura exclaimed.

Peter made grabby hands at the papers. Damon handed them over with a dazed look in his eyes. Peter took the papers and looked through them.

"It is my writing," Peter told them, "but... this ritual..." Peter cursed under his breath, before he asked, " What was he thinking? It could have _killed_ you. This was a time travel spell but the herbs are to alter your state of reality. Was he _insane_?" Peter demanded to know.

Stiles snickered giving Peter a cold look, "It's ironic that _Peter_ _Hale_ is asking if his self from a different reality was insane." Stiles sighed, "Personally I think you are a bit crazy in any reality. It's just a matter of how much."

"That sounds about right," Gloriana agreed, grinning at the glare she received from her mate.

"You sound as if you know Uncle Peter quite well," Damon purred smarmily, "I bet you even know all of dear Step-daddy's secrets too. You claim to be _his_ son, after all." Stiles wondered at the jealousy that bled into Damon's voice was about.

Laura nodded, looking intrigued, "Tell us what you know about us."

"I...I know the Sheriff, obviously." Stiles glanced at Derek, "Derek, Peter, Cora...and Malia. I never got the pleasure of meeting the rest of you. You were already dead by the time I met _my_ Derek."

"Convenient." Damon snorted.

"Okay, look it all began..."

888

Talia entered the living room Zane following her. She smile when Stiles looked up from his mug. "Stiles we got your room..." She trailed off when she noticed that her sister-in-law, Gloriana was a sobbing messy against her mate. Peter had his arms around Gloriana looking a step way from going completely feral.

Laura was staring unseeing at the wall as a single tear ran down her cheek before she could wipe it away. Cora was pale white, her arms wrapped tightly around her self. Damon had his hands buried in his hair muttering so low even she couldn't make out what he was saying.

And Derek...

Talia would call the look moonstruck if she hadn't know her grumpy son so well.

"What is going on?" Zane asked exchanging a look with his mate.

Damon's head shot up and begged with red rimmed eyes, "Tell us it's not true! It can't be true..."

Talia sat down on the love seat, "Darling, what is this about?"

"...It sounded like something out of a bad supernatural teen drama." Cora whispered fearfully and Laura let out a heart breaking whine.

"They won't believe what I told them." Stiles said getting up from his sit next to Gloriana, who reached out and tried to grab him back to her. Stiles walked over and knelt in front of Talia. Stiles with his back to her bent his head forward exposing his neck to the Alpha. Talia frowned at the low warning growl that came from Derek. Her son's eyes flashing blue at her. Talia rumble back flashing her own red ones at him. Derek blinked and shook his head as he gave her a sad look.

"Stiles?" Talia asked

"Memories don't lie." Stiles said, "An alpha can take them, block them, planet fake ones. So do it."

Talia ran a finger down Stiles neck and the boy shiver at her touch. "Are you sure?"

Stiles nodded.

Talia let her claws pop out, "I'll be careful but this will hurt, Stiles."

"It always hurts."

That soft, sad whisper about broke Talia's resolve. She looked at Zane wanting him to advise her. Zane only gave one quickly nod. Talia took a breath, Stiles mirrored her action before she slammed her claws into the boy's neck.

 _"It started with the bright idea to look for a body in the woods..." Stiles voice whispered in Talia's mind, even as she saw the event play out before her...and was that Scott McCall?_

 _"Yes, my best friend, my brother..."_

 _ **The rise of a true alpha...**_

 _"...Laura was killed by Peter so he could have the power he need to find those who started the fire. Laura, Derek, Peter and Cora were the only survivors..."_

 _Talia watched as Derek stood before the burn body of her younger brother. Derek claws dripping with blood, "I'm the alpha, now."_

 _The Argent's betrayed them, Talia thought. Chris let that crazy woman near my son!_

 _"...In Chris's defense he hadn't known about what his sister and father planned..."_

 _That in no way made Talia feel better._

 _ **The tragdey of the Hales...**_

 _"...never underesmate the power of human love. It was like seeing a fairytale come to life. A lizard turning into a wolf."_

 _Talia saw the Whittmore boy taking a house key from the Martin girl._

 _Talia could feel the lost of Stiles unrealized love he had, had for the girl._

 _ **The revenge of the Kandima...**_

 _"...Banshee's don't predict the future, Stiles. They predict death..." Talia heard Derek's voice say, even as she saw him on the ground in the sand blood around him with a hole in his stomach from a Berserker's claw._

 _"...You weren't suppose to see that," Stiles whispered, as the scene changed to that of...was that Lydia Martin? Standing under a street lamp, looking up at it, "Scream Lydia..."_

 _ **The wail of a Banshee...**_

 _"...An alpha afraid of his shadow, a bow-mistress who's hands shook to badly to hold her weapon, a researcher who couldn't read... was the end result of a ritual that helped defeat the Alpha Pack and a Darach."_

 _Talia watched the image of Derek carrying a blonde girl in his arms, his eyes flashing red, then to watching the Carver Twins shoving Derek's claws into the chest of a black boy._

 _"But it couldn't bring back our dead."_

 _ **The Nemton is dangerous...**_

 _"...Control is overrated. I liked the chaos, strife and pain. I liked the fear I made them feel. Because for the first time in a long time they saw me!" Stiles shouted at Talia, who cringed back from pale, demonic looking boy staring at her._

 _"When is a door not a door?"_

 _"When it's ajar." Talia answered softly._

 _"What gets bigger the more you take out of it?"_

 _"A hole." Talia didn't like the darkness she could see in Stiles eyes._

 _"Everyone has it and no one can lose it. What is it?"_

 _"I don't know," Talia whispered fearfully, "I don't know!"_

 _ **The trick of the fox...**_

 _"...I don't think Scott ever forgave me for that." Stiles said to Talia as they watched the Oni stab the Huntress in the stomach and as Scott gathered the fallen Huntress into his arms while a tearful Isaac looked on._

 _"And I know for a fact her father didn't."_

 _Talia watched Chris Argent hold a gun to Stiles head, in the low light of the deserted loft._

 _ **Death of the Huntress...**_

 _"...it was a dead pool, a supernatural hit list," Stiles whispered, as Talia watched Stiles write on the clear glass, the names from the list, "And all of our names were on it."_

 _She followed the red string from picture to picture, as it connected bits of information to each other._

 _ **The art of Assassins...**_

 _Talia shivered as she watched the three mask cover figures glide by her,_

 _"Condition Terminal." the mechanized voice said, looking down at Stiles, as they buried him in a hole in the ground, next to the Nemton._

 _"...they worshiped the supernatural through science." Stiles voice came from beside Talia but she couldn't look away from the grave. "...they changed over half of the teenagers in town but we could never be sure exactly how many."_

 _"We couldn't remember much about that time."_

 _ **The dread of the Doctors...**_

 _"Why do you run, Little Red?" a blonde woman shouted in the forest. Talia stood by Stiles as he hid behind a tree. A shot gun blast hitting the tree near them, Talia could feel the bark and wood hit her painfully._

 _"Hey handsome, did you like what was left of our boy?"_

 _"_ _ **Derek**_ _!" Stiles whispered desperately, hitting his head against the tree, closing his eyes in pain. His leather back pack slipping down his arm._

 _"Tell me? Did he whine and beg for death even as he died in your arms?" Kate Argent's voice was a soft cruel purr._

 _Stiles turned his head and looked at Talia, "...she killed them all. My pack... I pissed her off you see. I saved what was left of Derek after she got through with him but he... He was feral and trapped in his full wolf shift..."_

 _Talia blinked and saw Stiles on the floor of a warehouse a snarling wolf bleeding black blood, lay in Stiles arms. But would whine whenever Stiles tears hit his fur,_

 _"...Derek! Come on! I got to get you out of here!" Stiles cried._

 _"...You don't trust me! I don't trust you but you need me to survive! That's why you aren't letting me go!" Derek's voice came from everywhere and nowhere._

 _Stiles looked up from the wolf, his face tear stained, at Talia frowning, "...that's out of context. But I buried Derek on Hale land. Near the house. Much like he did for Laura, for Peter..."_

 _"...in the end. I did what a Hale would do... I ran." Stiles whispered in Talia's ear as they stood on the Nemton, watching as Stiles set up the ingredients of the ritual," But something went wrong..." One of Kate's bullet it the bowl of herbs spilling on to the tree stump causing it to glow a bright white..._

 **Reality is lost...**


	5. Chapter 5

Talia jerked her claws from Stiles neck. Doubling over Zane's lap sobbing.

"Talia!" Zane exclaimed never having seen his wife react like this to any thing.

Stiles echoed Talia's sobs, as he grasped for breath. It had been like reliving his life on fast forward but with commentary. He could feel the blood running down his neck but couldn't bring himself to care the pain was to fresh, too raw again. He could hear the voices of the others but it was distorted like he was hearing it through a wind tunnel.

"What's wrong with him? Is he having an asthma attack?" Cora asked.

"No," Talia choked out, "he's having a panic attack."

"We have to calm him down then." Peter said, "so he can breathe."

"Stiles, honey, you're safe with us." Gloriana said rubbing Stiles arm but he jerk away shaking his head. Stiles knew better than to believe such false promises. No where was safe. Not with anyone! He just wanted to pass out. If he could then he would start to breathe, his body would start doing that on it's own once he was no longer in control of it.

Suddenly a hand gripped his chin, forcing his head up and a set of male lips were pressed against his own. Stiles knew they were male because of the very light dusting of stubble he could feel. Stiles eyes widened at the contact, he hardly heard shocked or gleeful exclaims of Derek's name from the others. He could only blink stupidly at the older boy when Derek pulled back looking at Stiles in concern.

"How," Stiles licked his lips, as Derek's eyes followed the action, "did you know how to do that?"

"You can't breathe when you have a panic attack, right?" Derek asked and Stiles nodded as Derek continued, "Your body is fighting for air. When you kiss someone you hold your breath for those few moments."

"Where? Where did you learn that?" Stiles asked surprised, he didn't know that. Why didn't he know that. Stiles felt like he should have known that.

"I..." Derek looked away shyly," I read...a lot."

 _Seriously_? Stiles thought. The Hales were trying to kill him. With sass and smarts and the general hotness of them- wait a second- Stiles gave Derek a quick sharp slap across his face, "How dare you!" Stiles howled enraged, "That was my _first_ kiss! You stole my first _kiss!"_

Laura leaned over and whispered to Damon, "Is he for real?"

"Hey!" Stiles said pointing at Laura, "I'll have you know a boy's first kiss is an important milestone in his life! It's something you can never," he glares at Derek who just give him a confused look, "get back once it is taken!"

"You mean it was you first kiss with a _boy_ , right?" Cora asked.

"No." Stiles said shaking his head as he drew out the word sarcastically, "as in first kiss with _anyone_ _ever_!"

"Mouthy and crazy, just the type we Hales go for." Damon said with a leering grin at Stiles.

"Don't even think about it, _Demon."_ Laura said using a well dislike nickname if the look on Damon's face was anything to go by, "Der-Bear gets first dibs on this one. He saw Stiles first after all."

"Ahh, but Laura! He's so cute!" Cora mock whined, "And you know Lander and Malia will-"

"That's enough, children!" Zane said trying not to laugh at the now very red faced Stiles and Derek were, as he pulled Talia tighter to him and she laid her head on his shoulder. "Save it for **The** **Courtship."**

Derek growled, "That's it!" He moved with werewolf speed and scooped Stiles up and tossed him over his shoulder and ran out of the room.

"What are you doing!" Stiles exclaimed with a high pitched squeak. "Put me down!"

"No."

"What?"

"I have made a decision." Derek said walking down the hall toward the left stair case.

"Nice to know you can make those. Does it have to do with why you are carrying me a way like a sack of potatoes?"

"Yes, after hearing your story?" Derek growled, "I'm going to wrap up in a blanket and hide you under my bed, okay?"

"Mmmh, why?"

T

"You hurt, Stiles!" Derek muttered," The scent of ice and black pepper, pours off of you in waves. I don't like it!"

"Sorry you don't like my _stink_." Stiles grumbled as Derek started up the stairs.

"I don't like that you _hurt_!" Derek barked back at him.

"Oh," Stiles said in a small voice, then Derek felt a small sharp pain to his-

"Did you just _pinch_ _my_ _ass_?" Derek asked incredulously.

"You have a nice one?" Stiles said, though it sounded more like a question, "It's right _there in my face!_ Like I was going to pass up that opportunity!"

Derek could feel his face turn red again as he heard the laughter from downstairs. Derek sighed and going up the stairs and down the hall.

888

Back down stairs in the living room Talia sighed. Stiles was going to need a lot of help, "Issues," she muttered," That boy has a lot of issues."

"Which one?" Zane asked her with a raise eyebrow.

"Oh god." Talia muttered, hiding her face in her mate's neck. Because Derek did have a few issues of his own.

"Sister," Peter purred., "We are keeping him."

"Of course he's staying here until he-" Talia started but was cut off by Peter's sharp,

"No! _We_ _are_ _keeping_ _him_! He needs to be pack, Tally." Peter told Talia in a tone that broke no argument.

"Peter we can't force him to be pack!" Talia said reasonably.

Peter gave Talia a disappointed look. "Really, sister, you have five very attractive children of mating age. When Trick comes home you will have six. I have a daughter of the like age and just as pretty. Trust me, that boy will be pack."

"It's nice to know how willing Uncle Peter is to pimp us out so just so Stiles will become a pack member." Damon muttered.

Peter rolled his eyes.

"Peter, that young man doesn't even _know_ most of us." Gloriana said softly, "And those that he does? Will seem strange and slightly off to him. It's possible he won't even think they are real."

"So what do we do to help him?" Cora asked.

"We give him a home. Understanding..." Talia whispered

"Stiles might even find a mate in one of us. He _likes_ us if his scent is anything to go by." Laura said grinning.

Talia was about to deny that Stiles would do that but... A mate could help heal some of Stiles emotional wounds. Having a mate would bind Stiles to _this_ reality more. Make things and people more real to him.

Talia yawn suddenly.

"It's late," Zane, noticing how tired Talia was, said, "let go to bed and deal it everything in the morning?"

Everyone one was more than willing to agree to that.

Later as Talia lay in bed next to Zane her mate asked her to show him what she had learned about Stiles. He wanted to know so he would know how to help the boy. Zane told her that if Stiles was anything like Zale, Zane's younger brother? Stiles would hide his hurt and pain behind sass and sarcasm.

Like there wasn't even of _that_ in this house, Talia had thought.

In the end she show him what she had learned from Stiles. Talia held her mate close as he sobbed into her shoulder like he had for her. It was a long while before sleep came to her.

But Talia was glad to have gotten any at all.

Because at seven o'clock the next morning the Courting Gifts began to arrive.


End file.
